☀️How To Audit Your Current Role to Map Your Future: Five key questions + 15 open roles

Also inside: Bridget Crocker talks her path from outdoor seasonal to six-figure author. Welcome to the August 12th Unseasoned Newsletter!

- Insight from life beyond outdoor seasonal work-

Career Check In

A handful of the people I’ve worked with over the last six months aren’t actively job searching…yet.

Instead, they know a transition is coming.

Maybe they’re ready to start a family and for them, outdoor seasonal work isn’t compatible with raising small children. Others expect to make a move in the next year or two and are the type to look way downriver when scouting their next line. Some face uncertainty in their industry (hey, federal work friends) and want to be ready to leap when needed.

From outdoor roles wrapping up summer seasons to 9-5ers prepping for Q4, if you sense a job search might be on the horizon, but are currently employed, I always recommend a current role audit.

What’s a role audit? Simply, it’s a pause to reflect on your current position so you can capture what matters most before it gets lost in the shuffle.

Ask yourself:

1. What part of my work did I most enjoy this summer?

2. What part of my work drained my energy?

3. What compliments or accolades did I receive from others this summer?

4. When did I feel “flow” or ease in my work this summer?

5. Which wins (problem / action / result) can I log for a future resume or job interview?

Sample Answers:

1. I most enjoyed the behind the scenes logistics - ensuring risk management protocol was met, preparing trip itineraries, and reviewing checklists with my team.

2. I felt drained by the customer service parts of my role. I think I would like to move into a role where I am not interfacing with paying guests.

3. Nicolette always compliments how organized my shelf in the fridge is! My supervisor put me in charge of lots of the teen trips this year, as he says I have a knack for connecting with youth.

4. I felt a lot of ease and flow when I worked on planning the special event trip for the conservation non-profit. I liked the blend of purpose and problem solving.

5. The interpretive content binder hadn’t been updated for ages - it was hard to use and gathering dust. I updated five of our topic topic curriculums and trained new leaders on how to implement the content, resulting in higher quality interpretive programs from new hires.

Use these answers to spot patterns, gather language for future applications, and identify skills to grow before your next move. You’ll not only be better prepared for a transition - you might even make your current role more fulfilling right now.

Ready to explore your next step with a supportive cohort at your side?

Don’t miss the Application SOS Training - the September waitlist is closing soon!

xx – Emerald

- Questions for Your Next Journal or Hike -

On Reflection

When you’re ready to leverage your outdoorsy background and move into your next career step with confidence, here’s how I can help:

1. Visit the Free Resource Library: From resume templates to work win logs, set aside the stuffy corporate templates and use a system designed for your outdoor background.

2. Become an Unseasoned Insider: 20+ open roles sent straight to your inbox every month and an annual 60-minute 1:1 career audit session with Emerald - an exclusive offer only for my newsletter community.

3. Join an Application SOS Training: Refine your resume and LinkedIn, clarify your job search strategy, explore new industries, and build momentum among likeminded peers.

4. Explore 1:1 Coaching: Work with me one-on-one for a full month of personalized support, including tailored resume and LinkedIn support, access to my network, and my full attention on your next career move.

Unsure where to begin? Reply to this email and I’ll help you decide!

- Meet an Outdoor Seasonal Turned Professional -

Community Corner

Meet Bridget Crocker, a second generation guide and former outfitter who transitioned from guiding to working in the corporate outdoor world (Patagonia) for 19 years, to freelancing for outdoor brands and magazines, to becoming an author.

During the pandemic, Bridget committed to finishing her memoir, which she’d been working on in the background for twenty-two years. She sold it to her dream publisher for six figures and no longer freelances. In Bridget’s words, “I now have the freedom to do the work I’ve always dreamed of sharing with the world.”

Current Role: Author

Outdoor Seasonal Role: I was an international river guide, trekking guide, assistant backpacking guide and glorified van driver in Wyoming and Alaska leading multi-sport tours. I've also worked as an outdoor travel writer since 2001.

Education: BA in English-Writing Emphasis from Montana State University. Also studied Anthropology and Native American Studies at UM-Missoula

Which skills from your outdoor roles support your current work? In my role as an author, there is a lot of public speaking, a skill that I honed giving thousands of safety talks and leading paddle crews.

Which skills or education did you have to acquire before landing your current role? I took several writing workshops and classes to educate myself on the publishing business. I also worked as a freelance writer for magazines and the outdoor clothing industry.

What is your favorite part of your current role and/or the lifestyle it creates? Creative freedom and authenticity in the work I do. I also love sharing my experience with people who are looking to make lifestyle/career transitions.

Don’t miss Bridget’s memoir, The River’s Daughter, which explores her journey of resilience, empowerment and self-discovery through her experiences as a whitewater rafting guide and her relationship with the rivers that shaped her.

Find Bridget on Substack | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

- Land your next role -

How I’d Apply

Submittable is hiring an Enterprise Sales Development Representative (Missoula, MT / Remote).

Unique Value Proposition (UVP):

Let’s imagine you’ve been working as a climbing guide in Arizona. When considering the Enterprise Sales Development role, you can outline how you excel at reading group dynamics, establishing rapport quickly, and adapting communication based on individual needs.

In enterprise sales, these skills are critical when engaging diverse decision-makers (government agency leads, nonprofit executives) and tailoring messages to resonate effectively.

Sample Resume Bullet Point (Climbing Guide):

• Scheduling: Managed complex logistics for 50+ day trips per season, including scheduling, equipment coordination, and contingency planning, leading to zero safety incidents and a 100% on-time trip completion rate.

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